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Feature request: Improved Gripper (ViaCAD) (#4736)
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robcha  
#1 Posted : Wednesday, May 22, 2013 12:38:05 AM(UTC)
robcha

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 11/16/2012(UTC)
Posts: 20
Hi,

I really like ViaCAD, it is a simple and user friendly and well priced 3D solidmodeller. However it could use some improvements to make it even better!

I find the Gripper to be quite simple and a bit ineffective compared to have similar grippers work in other 3D software (3DS Max, Maya, Modo)
These other programs however are not solid modellers, so I'm hoping to see the features that make sense in a solid modeller be implemented in ViaCAD :)

Some changes I would love to see:
- Be able to do translate by grabbing on the lines (not having to zoom out to find the arrow pointer)
- Have the gripper be fixed in size relative to viewport zoom level, so that one can always manipulate all of its parts
- Be able to do a uniform zoom and non uniform zoom without having to change settings. Most program solve this by having a "cube handle" in the center of the gripper for uniform scaling and using the "cube handle" on the 3 axis for non uniform scaling.
- Always get a bunch of input boxes so that scaling for each axis + translation can be entered numerically as soon as the user has selected an object. By clicking on a small "lock" icon one can have the textboxes work in uniform scaling mode.
- Have handles to move in each plane (XY, XZ, YZ)

For an example gripper that is very intuitive and easy + fast to use have a look at Modo.
This page will show how it works in modo (even if the tutorial is to show some other features you will see from the screen shots how the gripper looks and works + how the text entry fields look):
http://docs.luxology.com/modo/7...ed/BeginnerTutorial.html
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thepopoman  
#2 Posted : Friday, July 11, 2014 3:46:57 PM(UTC)
thepopoman

Rank: Member

Joined: 3/26/2010(UTC)
Posts: 33
Great suggestions. That was posted 2012 so don't know how many of those (Gripper) suggestions were already implemented/fixed by now.

I think Bryce had a World, Camera View Space and Object space relative pick list for transforming operations so you had 3 relative ways of moving,scaling,rotating objects.

I don't see too much documentation on the gripper in the user manual...what I really mean by that is

Axis to object: - Don't understand exactly how this works either and the documentation is very light on it's function it's purpose and properties.

Object to axis: - (which access? x,y or z? of which object (well ok probably the selected object from the main select tool, that you click on after you click on the "object to axis button from the inspector")?) But still don't know which of the 3 axis the object is defaulting to align with and exactly the object with the gripper positions itself with the destination object that you clicked on.

Reset Axis...I've seen posts about it but not sure if it just resets the gripper to "center" of the object or what.

Not sure if Tim see's these replies or others know the answer(s) but I think I'm going to post a new thread. If it's obvious
I think I have enough in here to post a new thread. But it's possible the gripper is covered in more in-depth detail somewhere else. I'll check the master cad website before I put in a new thread.

Dave
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kevjon  
#3 Posted : Friday, July 11, 2014 3:54:36 PM(UTC)
kevjon

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 9/30/2009(UTC)
Posts: 29

Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
+1 to these requests.

The inclusion of the gripper into viacad is a fantastic step forward and makes many modelling tasks far more intuitive.

Having said that it could do with some refinement. The biggest one for me is having the gripper a fixed size relative to viewport zoom scale. I am often flicking through its size options trying to change it so that fits within the viewport. Its obviously not usable when it doesn't fit.
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ZeroLengthCurve  
#4 Posted : Thursday, July 31, 2014 5:46:30 PM(UTC)
ZeroLengthCurve

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 5/15/2008(UTC)
Posts: 989

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Kevjon, I ran into this problem a long while back. I don't know how or by whom I learned this, but here is how to overcome it:

Assign a shortcut key to the Category "Tools" and the Command "Selection".

In my case, I assigned the backtick key. For me, it's one of the keys I use most frequently, since selections at varying zooms can be frustrating.

When I'm in a selection, I don't have re-zoom to get the Gripper axes to be visible.

Since the Esc is close by, my pinkey very easily is able to hit the backtick key when I need to break out of a selection or a command.
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rokoko  
#5 Posted : Friday, August 1, 2014 4:33:36 AM(UTC)
rokoko

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Joined: 9/28/2013(UTC)
Posts: 345

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hi, thank you for that great hint with selection shortcut key to tame a non-fitted gripper
viacad pro 10 powerpackpro, viacad pro 9 german, mac
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